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Uganda: Govt Protests LRA's Relocation
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The Monitor (Kampala)
26 February 2008
Posted to the web 25 February 2008
Grace Matsiko & Frank Nyakairu
Kampala
THE government has sent a strong protest note to Dr Riek Machar, the mediator between the rebel LRA and Uganda condemning the recent relocation of rebel fighters to the Central African Republic (CAR).
"The LRA have been moving towards that area (CAR) and its a violation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement we signed with them," the Minister of State for Defence, Ms Ruth Nankabirwa told Daily Monitor yesterday by telephone.
"We informed the mediator because the actions by the LRA are in violation of the agreement," she said.
The minister said Uganda last week lodged the protest against the LRA with Dr Machar, who is also the South Sudan vice-president.
Daily Monitor yesterday reported that an estimated 189 fighters of LRA arrived in the CAR.
Intelligence information obtained by Daily Monitor indicates that the group, which comprises women, children and fighters, set off for the CAR, on February 12 - from the Assembly point of Ri-Kwangba, at the Sudan-DR Congo border - and arrived at the CAR border.
The southeastern region of CAR, where the LRA are relocating to, is controlled by the rebel Popular Army for the Restoration of Democracy (APRD) fighting CAR President Gen. Francois Bozize.
Gen. Bozize, who has a gentleman's agreement with his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni to fight dissident groups, has accused Sudan of supporting the APRD.
Yesterday, Kony through his peace delegation vice chairman, James Obita denied his forces entered the CAR.
"We have been in touch with the LRA High Command including Gen. Joseph Kony about two hours ago who told us to inform the world that there are no LRA forces that have gone into CAR," Dr. Obita said by satellite telephone from Juba, where the LRA peace delegation was about to meet the government peace negotiators.
"Kony told us that his forces are intact," he added.
Asked whether they have received any formal protest note, Dr Obita said," We have not seen any protest from the mediator."
Dr Obita said the LRA peace delegation will be traveling to Ri-kwangba on the border between Sudan and the DR Congo (DRC) to meet Kony. He said cases of alleged ceasefire violations will be discussed at that meeting.
The LRA team will tomorrow (Wednesday) leave for Ri-Kwangba for consultation with Kony before signing the last agenda on Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) Agreement. Both parties yesterday reported they had agreed on the text of the agreement but could not sign it before the LRA consults Kony.
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"The text on DDR was completed by 4.00a.m (Monday morning). This evening we are going to work on the schedules of the Final Peace Agreement," Dr Obita said.
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